There is a sharp rise in cybercrime and the police have stepped up international collaboration to combat the threat. Criminals, often foreign nationals, are targeting local bank account holders, including professionals, with sophisticated scams to transfer funds overseas, according to Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa.
A team of 10 Chinese law enforcement officers recently arrived in Sri Lanka to assist the local police to check the surge in cybercrime. Their visit follows a diplomatic request from the Criminal Investigation Department DIG Thalduwa said that the majority of cybercriminals in Sri Lanka are foreign nationals.
They had apprehended over 70 foreigners involved in cybercrime.
Most of them are Chinese nationals while the others were from Malaysia and India.
Police recently took in for questioning 20 Chinese nationals involved in financial fraud, underscoring the international nature of the problem.
Tackling cybercrime needs national effort and global partnerships to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving criminal tactics.
Despite warnings from financial institutions, cybercriminals continue to bypass security systems using phishing attacks and advanced technology.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is bolstering its legal framework and forging stronger ties with global agencies such as Interpol and Europol.
An official of TechCERT, Sri Lanka’s Computer Emergency Response Team, said that the number of complaints regarding stolen IDs and PIN thefts is on the rise.
This shows the growing vulnerabilities in the country’s digital landscape, he said.
